Coordinated Care: Our Forward View

The development of coordinated care roles across the West Midlands was hindered by confusion around the ?who, what, and where? of these functions. While the benefits of coordinated care for individuals were well-recognised, the specific competencies required and the alignment of roles across the region were unclear. Health Education England (HEE) in the West Midlands collaborated with Birmingham City University to address these challenges by creating a consensus definition for coordinated care, a set of core competencies, and supporting resources to promote and develop coordinated care across the region. This work aligns with key national frameworks such as the Five Year Forward View, the GP Forward View, and HEE?s Framework 15. The HEE coordinated care model was developed through best-practice reviews, consultation events, and stakeholder engagement, and was tested with four diverse local organisations. The model is designed to be cross-professional, providing a unified framework for education providers, service leaders, staff, and employers to enhance care coordination. HEE?s efforts have built regional consensus across health and social care, with the model now being adopted by multiple organisations for various purposes. It serves as a foundation for other regions to adapt the model to their specific needs and is supported by an online integrated care toolkit. Despite progress, challenges remain, including scaling the model to a broader geography and addressing confusion caused by inconsistent job titles such as ?Practice Navigator? and ?Case Manager.? The HEE model focuses on the core functions of coordinated care rather than specific roles, establishing a common competency framework to guide coordinated care practices. Additionally, a coordinated care network is being developed to engage staff across organisations and further support the implementation of the model. This work lays the groundwork for improving care coordination on a national and regional scale.